Jammu and Kashmir continues to remain a key focus area in the Union Government’s push for expanding technical education, with the Centre confirming that nine new polytechnic institutes have been sanctioned for the UT under a nationwide scheme aimed at strengthening skill development.
The information was shared by the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, where he detailed the progress made under various components of the national polytechnic scheme.
According to the Ministry, the Scheme of Polytechnics, being implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), focuses on setting up new institutes in underserved areas, upgrading infrastructure, building women’s hostels, and supporting community development programmes.
Under this scheme, 170 polytechnics have been established across India, with Jammu & Kashmir receiving nine, placing it among the regions with one of the highest allocations. The scheme aims to improve access to technical education, especially in districts that lacked such facilities earlier.
The Government said that the effort is part of a larger plan under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which stresses better infrastructure, research culture, industry collaboration, and modern teaching standards to prepare students for future workforce demands.
Alongside this, the Centre has also launched the MERITE scheme (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education) with an outlay of ₹4,200 crore to upgrade 275 technical institutions across states, including 100 polytechnics.
Officials said the MSDE, in coordination with J&K’s technical education departments, has put in place a monitoring mechanism to ensure these institutes become fully functional with improved teaching quality and better facilities.
The addition of nine polytechnics is expected to improve technical training opportunities in J&K’s districts, support local youth with skill-oriented courses, and strengthen the overall technical education ecosystem of the Union Territory.
